


Finding My Place (With You)

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [24]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 17:11:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17125418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Magnus hasn't brought a boyfriend home in years, so when he finally does his parents waste no time in being properly embarrassing, with just the right amount of endearing mixed in.





	Finding My Place (With You)

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Prompt: You already wrote me a family dinner but I would like to see one in which they're older and Magnus is so nervous of introducing his parents to Alec and Alec is nervous too lmao and Magnus is like all night "mooom" "daaad" cause they're embarrassing him

Magnus is nervous. He’s so nervous it _shows_ , which is how his boyfriend knows that this is a big deal. It isn’t that Magnus never gets nervous, of course, because _everyone_ gets nervous - Magnus, however, is a master of hiding it behind charming smiles and silky smooth words.

Every time except this one.

It doesn’t help that his parents also know this is a big deal no matter how much he tries to pretend it isn’t. He’s dated - a _lot -_  but this is the first person he asked to bring to a family function in years. They all know the implications of that.

“...oh god it’s hitting me now,” Alec says, fixing the collar on his emerald green shirt. “I was fine keeping calm before because I could tell how stressed you were but now-”

“You have nothing to worry about. They’re going to love you - how could they not?” Magnus reassures, reaching around the back of Alec’s neck to smooth down the folded fabric.   
  
“Then why are _you_ so worried?” Alec counters.   
  
“I’m not.” Magnus insists, and they both know he’s lying though neither dispute it. They both need to convince themselves it’s the truth.

Magnus knows why he’s anxious - his parents want the best for him, as all parents do, but unfortunately sometimes that translates to expecting _too much_ from those around him. He’s been through this a thousand times before to varying degrees of success.

Alec, on the other hand, is worried for a very different reason. Only recently out to his own family, Magnus is his first proper boyfriend; the kind he could share things about on social media, and talk about in front of his parents instead of just in whispers to Isabelle after family dinners during his college breaks. In fact, Magnus is his first of a _lot_ of things: including ‘meeting the parents’ dinners. What if he isn’t what they’re expecting? What if they don’t think he’s good enough for their son?

What if they’re right?

But Magnus promises this isn’t about getting their approval, Alec reminds himself as they get out of the car and walk up to the front door. The memory plays clear as day in his mind, words echoing--

_“You’re in my life whether anyone else likes it or not, for as long as you’d like to stay. You don’t have to impress anyone for me.”_

The door opens, breaking Alec from his thoughts.   
  
“It’s been **months**!” The woman exclaims, immediately moving forward to envelop Magnus in a hug and simultaneous kiss on his cheek, and Alec bites back a laugh at the tinge of color that spreads from Magnus’ cheeks to his ears. “Would it kill you to call more often?!”   
  
“Mom, _please_.” Magnus squirms a bit under her hug.

“And you must be Alexander!” She says, turning to Alec. “Come here!”

Before he has time to realize what’s happening there are arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. He tenses instinctively - his family was never one for excessive physical affection, but given Magnus’ affinity for hugs and casual touches he should’ve expected this. After a moment he sinks into the hug, bringing his own arms up to return the gesture in greeting. Over Mrs. Bane’s shoulder he can see Magnus giving him the most apologetic look.

“Alec is fine, Mrs. Bane,” he says once she pulls back. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“Of course, darling! We always invite Magnus’ significant others over for the holidays, but you’re the first one he’s brought home in years. You must be something special.”

It’s Alec’s turn to flush now. “Oh, no, I’m not really,” he mumbles, looking to Magnus for help, expecting him to play it off and diffuse the situation by reassuring his parents this isn’t a big deal.

Instead he’s looking over at Alec as if he’s the _biggest_ deal, nothing but appreciative smiles and heart eyes that could melt Alec into a puddle despite the chill in the air. “I wouldn’t say that,” Magnus replies softly.

They go inside and Alec immediately asks if there’s anything he can help with, but Magnus’ parents are suspiciously quick to tell him no and keep him away from the kitchen.

“You told them I’m a lousy cook, didn’t you,” he accused Magnus immediately.

“What? No!” Magnus swears up and down, and thankfully his parents don’t confirm or deny anything he may have mentioned about letting Alec near the kitchen.

Instead, Mr. Bane leads Alec into the living room while Magnus vanishes to help his mother finish the last of the meal preparation.

They get to talking, share a drink or two, and in no time at all Mr. Bane has the baby photos out from an album at the bottom of the bookcase. Every single photograph is a hidden gem, and Alec snaps pictures of the photos on his phone to save for later. He’s already set one of Magnus in nothing but cowboy boots, a cowboy hat, and underwear at the age of roughly 4 years old as his phone background.

“I can’t leave you alone for five seconds,” Magnus laments once he re-joins them. “Please tell me he didn't show you the talent show video.”

Alec nearly spits out his drink, turning to Mr. Bane with an arched eyebrow. “There’s a _talent show video_ , and you kept it from me?”

“That can be the entertainment for dessert.” Mr. Bane promises, to more groaning from Magnus and delight from Alec.

Over dinner they talk about a little bit of everything - the state of current politics, favorite foods, what shows they were all watching or musical artists they listen to. Magnus’ family is very creative, his mother an artist and his father a writer, which makes Magnus’ fascination with the arts and museums and his degree in art history such an obvious choice, given how easily the three of them share such common likes and dislikes.

When Alec admits to being a business major who is just now entering into a small start-up venture with Steven Underhill, one of his best friends from college, he braces himself for the same backlash his own parents gave him: that it’s idealistic, destined for failure, and a poor use of his talents. Instead they applaud his risk taking and offer any assistance they can if he needs help in graphic design or composing articles for publication.

“I don’t think Alec needs you to run his business for him,” Magnus tries to cut in, but Alec only shakes his head, eyes wide in surprise.

“No, it’s -- thank you. Really. That means a lot.”

For as nervous as he was going into this, he’s shocked at how easily he feels welcome here; at how much Magnus’ family feels like it could feel like home to him one day, the same way Magnus himself does by now.   
  
The night ends with dessert, and the promised talent show video, which Magnus actually gets up and leaves the room during out of shame, claiming he only wants to help clear away the empty pie plates. But as the terrible charango performance draws on even Alec has to look away out of second-hand embarrassment of 15-year-old Magnus.

“I hope they weren’t too overbearing,” Magnus checks in as they’re grabbing their coats, getting ready to leave. “I haven’t brought anyone home for a while, they’ve been waiting for the opportunity to properly mortify me for years now.”

Alec laughs. “No, they were wonderful. This whole day was wonderful. Thank you for having me over… I’m glad I didn’t realize how big of a deal this was beforehand, or I probably would’ve freaked out a lot more and ruined everything.”

Magnus smiles. “I don’t think you could ruin anything if you tried. They love you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”  
  
By the end of the night Alec is leaving with two books to borrow, several tupperware containers of leftover food, and a small flicker of hope that this might be his to keep for the rest of his - no, for the rest of _their_ \- lives.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr! ](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com))


End file.
